A report of a possibly impaired driver at Burger King in Wheelersburg led deputies to a surprising discovery: the driver wasn’t drunk or on drugs—she was simply exhausted.
And she wasn’t the only sleepy, unlicensed driver deputies encountered.
Scioto County deputies were called to Burger King after a caller reported a woman in an older white Buick who appeared to be under the influence.
The caller said the vehicle had been all over the roadway before pulling into the parking lot.
When deputies arrived, they found the woman asleep behind the wheel.
She told deputies she works night shift at a nursing home and had gotten very little sleep.
Deputies determined she was not impaired, but they did discover she did not have a valid driver’s license.
She was advised to arrange for someone else to pick up the vehicle, and she contacted her husband for assistance.
😴 HOURS EARLIER, ANOTHER DRIVER FOUND ASLEEP
Earlier, deputies and EMS responded to Swauger Valley Free Will Baptist Church after a caller reported a man slumped over the steering wheel of a Chevrolet S-10 with a dirt bike in the back.
The man told deputies he had pulled into the church parking lot to sleep after being awake all night.
Deputies found no signs of impairment.
However, they did discover the man’s driver’s license was suspended and the vehicle’s registration had expired.
He was instructed not to drive and was allowed to walk to a nearby family member’s home while arrangements were made for a licensed driver to retrieve the truck.
⚠️ DROWSY DRIVING CAN BE JUST AS DANGEROUS AS DRUNK DRIVING
While neither driver was arrested for OVI, safety experts warn that fatigue behind the wheel can be every bit as dangerous as alcohol impairment.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, sleep deprivation can:
- Slow reaction times
- Reduce awareness
- Impair judgment
- Cause drivers to drift across lanes
- Lead to “microsleeps” where drivers briefly fall asleep without realizing it
Many serious crashes occur because tired drivers never hit the brakes before impact.
🚔 ALSO: GET A LICENSE
Deputies also encountered the same issue in both calls: neither driver had a valid license.
Driving without a valid license can lead to:
- Citations
- Vehicle impoundments
- Additional suspensions
- Increased penalties if a crash occurs
The lesson from both incidents?
If you’re too tired to keep your eyes open, pull over. And if your license is suspended, let someone else drive.
Wheelersburg Burger King police call Deputies responded to Burger King in Wheelersburg after reports of an erratic driver and found a woman asleep behind the wheel. Hours earlier, another exhausted driver was found slumped over his steering wheel—both without valid licenses.